Traction-vehicle.



J W. BRUCE. TRACTION VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. 1918.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NVENTUR;

a W. B.

Y an M J. W. BRUCE.

TRACTION VEHICLE.

APPLIGATION FILED SBPT.2.1913. 1, 1 1 8,528, Patented Nov. 24, 1914 5 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

NH mn w 2 RN Hum w? a E \iiwm WTNEESEE: fi 55$.

J. W. BRUUE.

. TRACTION VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEP'1.2,191S. 1,1 18,528. Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

5 SIIERTS SHEET 3.

fVJ- ITNEESESl WJMQ ATTORNEY.

J. W.'BRUGE.

TRACTION VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. 1913 1,1 18,528. Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

5 SHEETS SHEBT 4,

J0 I0 J4) do |NVENTUR WITNESSES! BY ATTORNEY.

J.WIBRUGH TRACTION VEHICLE.

APYLIGATION FILED SEPT.Z.1913.

1,1 18,528. Patented Nov. 24, 1914 INVENTUR VHTMESSES w i ATTURNEY.

JAMES "WESLEY BRUCE, OF OZARK, OHIO.

TRACTION-VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. flet, 19M

Application as September e, 1913. Serial No. 787,581.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, James -Wnsnni' BRUCE, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Ozark, county of Monroe, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ilractionvehicles of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to agricultural apparatus, and more specifically to a traction, or selt-propelh'sd, vehicle adapted for driving farm machinery of various types. 7 v

The primary ob ect of the invention is to-provide a traction vehicle specially de signed for farm use whereby various kinds or types of agricultural implements, such as mowers, eultivators, and the like may be propelled.

A further object is to provide a vehicle of the character n'ientioneil having; an extension frame which may no adjusted in length to accommodate bodies or beds of 'arying Sizes.

A further object is to provide a traction vehicle of simple and cornparati'vely inexpensive construction having a change speed transmission of a simple type which permits of numerous changes of speed and power ratios, adapting the device for widely varying uses. And a still l' in'ther object is to provide a vehicle which may be conveniently turned within a relatively short radius.

Another object within the contemplation of this invention is to provide a vehicle of the character mentioned ha ving a fore-wheel drive as'well as the usual rear wheel drive.

\Vith these and other important objects in view, .all of which will hereinafter be pointed out or made apparent, the invention resides in the features of construction, arrangement of'parts and combinations ol elements which will hereinafter be exemplified, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention showing the frame occupying closed position, some of the ,parts being shown broken away for the sake of clcarn'css; Fig. 2 'is a longitudinal section taken through the axles at a point close to the traction wheels, showing a 'side elevation of the mechanism; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line of the change-gear."shafts; Fig. 4 is a section on theline H, F ig. 1; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 1; .Fig. 6 is an enlar fed section taken on the line (i--6, Fig. 3; ig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7, Fig. 3, showingthe clutch in operative position; Fig. 8 is a similar section showing the clutch in shifting position; and Fig. S) is a view similar to Fig. 2, reduced, showing, the frame extcndd.

Referring to said drawings, in which like designating characters distinguish like parts throughout the several. views-4 indicates fixed side portions of a frame, which portions are of tubular form and are connected at their front ends to inwardly curved frame i'nembers which are mounted at" their t'ropt ends upon, or have swivellike connections with, an axle 3, as shown at 1-. Said axle is preferably of tubular form, as shown in Fig. .4-, and has rigidly connected to its ends projecting alined stems 5 having integral threaded slecvedikc guides 5 mounted. upon vertical. adj listing screws (5 which are directed upward tln'ough slotted, tubular casings T. 'Said casings 7 are fixed at their upper and lower ends respectivelyto brackets 8 and I) which have pivotally mounted therein the upper and lower ends respectively of angular steering; members 10. ltcvoluhly mounted in an upper sleevcp-ortion 10 of each steering member is a shaft 11 whose lower end is seated in a socket 12 .provided in an upright por' tion 10 of said member. Fixed on said shaft ll and occupying a position between the sleeve portion 10 and the portion 10 is a bevel gear 13 which meshes with a similar gear lit-fixed on a spindle 15 which is journaled in said portion 10" and in an outward how 10* which connects said portions l0 and 10". The outer ends of said spindles 15 have the front wheels 16 of the vehicle fixedly mounted thereon.

As means for steering the front wheels of the vehicle, sprocket wheels 17 are fixed to the sleeve portions 1.0 of the steering members 10, and a sprocket chain 18 is disposed transversely to connect said sprocket wheels and is thence directed inward from each of said wheels to and around a pair of sprocket wheels 19 which are suitably mounted at points at the rear of the vertithe front alt-tie 3, and

cal plane occupied by is thence directed rearward to and aroun a sprocket Wheel .20 fixed upon steer-ii L column 21 located at convenient point be manipulated by the op *rator, or driver.

The engine, or motor, indicated in. dotted lines in l? l. and Z, is mounted on the iralne in any suitaole manner and has its crank-shalt journaled in bearings i-l mounted on the side portions 1 of said frame. A pinion 25 mounted on said crank-shaft meshes with a scar -whee fixed on a drive-shaft in bean ings 28 mounted on said side portions fSprocket Wheels and 30 carried by drive-shaft adjacent its 0 are connected by sproclictcl' to sprocket wheels 33 and pair of alined transversely do; 35 and 36 which lie paraih 2?. Said shafts 35 and ends journaled respective and 38 mounted on the Y 1; .1- tlons l and have their 1,. n a

l conin ins. suitably monster as is most clearly sho Motion coins-Pine do 23 is comrno rough and gear 26 t0 drive sh constantly driven in a directi': and said driveshatt 27 in turn coinnniincates motion through the s" i cranlesn T- L 31 and 32 to both. said shat Said shaft 36 has a sproche thereon which is connected oy asprocket chain il toe sprocket wheel scented. tubular member wherehymotion is con-- municated to shafts iclosed r The opposite ends of said shafts carry sprocket Wheels it which are connected by sprocket chains 45 to sprockets at?) which may be formed on the hubs of the rear traction Wheels 4'? of the vehicle, or may be mounted in any convenient manner whereby the latter are driven A series of gear wheels, as :28, s9 and 50, are fixed upon the drive-shaft '2? and are permanently in mesh with gear-Wheels 51, 52 and 53, respectively, which are revolnbly mounted on the shaft 36. The shaft 27 also has fixed thereon a second series of gear Wheels, as 5%, 55 and 56 which are perinanently in mesh with gear-Wheels 5?, and 59, respectively, which are revolnhly mounted on the shaft Each of said shatteand 36 is made hollow, as shown in Fig; 3, and has a rod 60 mounted therein so as to be longitudinallymovable, said rod having fixed thereto one or more radialpins or studs 61 which constitute a clutch, proiccting outward through oppositely disposed slots 62 provided in said shafts 35 and 36, as shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 8. While a plorality oi the pins or' studs 61, spaced at proper distances apart, are herein shown, it

hat a gle pin occu cying the guns n outermost into in 3 will suilice. Lovers 63 and (it are resnecre y provided whereby the rods 60 in the shaits 35 and 36 may be shifted longitudinally to dilierent positions, each of said levers being connected to a yolre Y3 which has its terminals journalod on oppositely disposed trunnions 66 carried by acollar 67 which is slidahly mounted on the shaft be tween the. projecting ends of two pins 68 directed centrally through rod 60 and operating longituddly in oppositely disposed slots 69 provided "therefor in said its is obvious, all oi the gears on the shafts and 36 me driven idly until the inclosed rod is shit of the pins or studs 61 thereof enters internal recesses T0 provided in said gears, Whereupon gear so engaged will be interlocked. uith the shaft on which it is mounted, causing said shaft to rotate therewith. The

may be arranged in any suitable or appropriate manner to facilitate the chatogtl' erect to produce variations in speed o a. a giv sp ed of the engine shaft. fine set or so J oi 38 preferably employed in? eii'ec mg; the forward drive of the traction wheels, While the other series is eniyloyed to: .z'eversing.

it w l he n *h Wheels and E i it on their shafts, and t utches are to engage said when the cl sprockets emote Wheels will be driven rearwani. when the vehicle Wheels are to he driven forward. the clutches are shifted into oi the va change speed gears. Uprignt support the outer ends oi? transve. e rods "2'2 which disposed in alined relation, as shown in' ifigs. 1 and 3. said rods 72 are rigidly tionary bar T8 carried by the yoke incinher so that it wi l be firmly held in any adjusted position, hut it is obvious that the term oi the hand-lever and that of the bar with which it coacts may be sired.

Journaled in upright portions of the brackets 8 and operating within a transverse tubular member 79 and having their inner ends in operative relation to a suitable difted to a point Where one varied as de-' torrential (not shown) inciosedby a:

r is a pair of alined shafts 81, each has ix-ed on its outer end a bevelin mesh with a bcvct-gcar 83 carthe upper end of the adjacent id shafts are driven from the re latter having a sprocket wheel hereon and connected by a sprocket to sprochct wheel bl lixcd on member 79. The differential gear by said housing 80 is designed to c shaft 81 to overrun its companion in the usual mannc r.

iii.' ;:rei.1tial gear not shown) is in r d b a housing 8?, pll'wltllllg in the usual nu'umer for allowing one shalt lid to unipnnion shalt as required.

c is $8 for each rear traction an upright tubular casing 89, to the casings T ,hereinbei'ore re d to, th ll which. extends a vertical .ng screw JO upon which is mounted a threaded sleeve-like guide 9.1 carried by a.

:t to the adjacent end of a rear axle member t obvious, by manipulation oi the to straddle rmvs of plants, standing a or the like, as when the vehicle is emfor 'iro iielling cultivators or the like. .rsc rod ill connects the brackets 8 root and of the vehicle for giving to the parts, and also serves as a :t'or a. mounting 95 for the sprocket l9 ahijiut which the steering chain 18 .lbe said steering chain 18 pref- "y has a pair of alined rods 96 disposed .5 front transverse portion, as shown in the same being connected by a turn- 1, 151. buiilrlc 97 whereby the tension of said chain may be adjusted.

A red 98 connects the mounting 95 to the steering column Ql, for increasing the relative rigidity of said parts. The vehicle is designed particularly for farm use, where it may be employed "for propelling various lsinds of machinery and farm apparatus, the shievelilic bbarings Q8 afi'ording places for connections for such machinery or apparatus or a bed or body may be mounted on the fame over the rear axle, said frame bei composed of a plurality of telescopic The portions or sections 1 of said me are tubular in form and are stationary with respect to curved frame members 2. 'h'lountad in embracing telescopic relation to each section 'l is asection 9.), and a third and similar section 100 is mounted in stationary position on the rear axle and in em: bracing telescopic relation to said section 9!); lVhen it is desired to lengthen the frame, the front wheels are driven forward while the rear wheels remain stationary,

-;-.l with, or rigidly support in. 91 which has rigid supporting relation wheels .16 have a maximum of clearance,

the form of the frame permitting said wheels to be turned at substantially a right angle to the axial line of the vehicle, as indicated in dotted lines in said figure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A traction vehicle comprising front and rear axles, frame supported by said axles, a source of motive power sustained by said frame, means including adjustin screws for adjusting theelevation of sai axles, steering members having pivotal supporting relation to the adjusting means for the front axle, spindles rotatably mounted in said steering inembers, wheels. fixed upon said spindles, means for turning said members for directing the course of said Wheels, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted in each steering member, intermeshing bevel gears carried by said shafts and the adjacent spindles, bevel gears carried by the upper ends of said shafts, alined shafts disposed between the last mentioned bevel gears and having bevel gear connection with the latter, a differential gear between the ali-ned shafts, a change-speed train of gearing associated with the source of motive power, and means communicating power from the latter to said alined shafts.

2. A traction vehicle comprisin front and rear axles, a frame supported y said axles, a source of motive power sustained by said frame, means including adjustin screws for al'ljusting the elevation of said axles, steering members having pivotal supporting relation to the adjusting means for the front axle, spindles rotatably mounted in said steering members, wheels fixed upon said spindles, means for turning said members for directing the course of said wheels, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted in each steering member, intermeshing bevel gears carried by said shafts and the adjacent spindles, bevel gears carried by the upper ends of said shafts, alined shafts disposed between the last mentioned bevel gears and having bevel gear connection with the latter, a differential gear between the alined shafts, a change-speed train of gearing associated with the source of motive power,

, means communicating power from the latter 11y msunieu in said. swearing s 11pm: said. spindles, 20 7 said may. bars for directv w last-mentioned wheels, zslssacl with said. rotatable spin- E'SQE-fii gem-inginterposed bepewer and saicsv L She lafi iel', and "u. u I 11 said mange-spam? "1: WT-1881.8 350 (irivin. the

2;: my signature flblufi wilt-masses. 

